Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Media Update

Ms Nadine Dorries: On 1 February 2021 News UK submitted an application requesting the Secretary of State to release in full the Undertakings accepted in 2019. The 2019 Undertakings were accepted in lieu of the Conditions put in place when the newspapers were acquired by News International in 1981.The Conditions included provisions relating to the continued publication of The Times and The Sunday Times as separate newspapers, to the number and power of the independent national directors of Times Newspapers Holdings Limited, and to editorial control over the journalists working for, and political comment and opinion published in, each of newspapers.The Undertakings accepted in 2019 made changes to the Conditions, to allow for sharing of journalistic resources between the two publications and to strengthen the arrangements relating to the independent national directors. News UK now seeks the release of the Undertakings in their entirety.On 24 June DCMS issued a public ‘invitation to comment’, which included a redacted copy of the application, and the written views received from the Editors and Independent National Directors. On 30 July, DCMS requested Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority to advise by 24 September on the public interest considerations and changes to market circumstances relevant to the case, respectively. The CMA’s report concludes that releasing the Undertakings would have a significantly positive impact on News UK’s financial position and ability to adapt to changing market conditions. Ofcom’s report concludes that the impact on media plurality of releasing the Undertakings is likely to be limited and that, on balance, releasing the Undertakings is unlikely to operate against the public interest needs for free expression of opinion and accuracy of news.On 25 November, acting in a quasi-judicial capacity, I announced that, having taken into account the reports and all relevant information submitted to the Department, I was minded to grant the request by News UK and release the Undertakings. I consulted publicly on this minded-to decision and did not receive any further evidence relevant to my decision. I therefore confirm that I am satisfied that there has been a material change of circumstances since the acceptance of the Undertakings in 2019 and that, having considered the public interest considerations applying to newspapers, the Undertakings are no longer appropriate or necessary for the purpose they were intended to achieve and so should be released.In accordance with the Enterprise Act 2002, I have taken a final decision to approve the Application and will notify News UK that the Undertakings relating to The Times and Sunday Times are to be released.

Ministry of Defence

Ukraine Update

Mr Ben Wallace: Further to my commitment to keep this House informed on the security situation in Ukraine, I am today providing an update on the package of defensive equipment the UK is sending to Ukraine. I can today announce that, in response to a request from the Ukrainian government, we are providing additional defensive equipment including body armour, helmets and combat boots. The first shipments arrived in Kyiv this week. They are a purely defensive capability and pose no threat to Russia. This package, requested by the Ukrainians, complements the training and capabilities that Ukraine already has and those that are also being provided by the UK and other allies in Europe and the United States. The UK Ministry of Defence has a long-standing relationship with our Ukrainian counterparts. We unequivocally support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we will continue to support them through diplomacy and by providing defensive capabilities to Ukraine, focussing on areas where the Ukrainians seek our assistance.

War Pensions Scheme Uprating 2022

Leo Docherty: The new rates of war pensions and allowances proposed from April 2022 are set out in the tables below. The Annual uprating of war pensions and allowances for 2022 will take place from the week beginning 11th April. Rates for 2022 are increasing by 3.1 per cent in line with the September 2021 Consumer Price Index.War Pensions Rates  RATESRATES(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)2021 £2022 £   WAR PENSIONS Disablement Pension (100% rates)  officer (£ per annum)10,123.0010,436.00other ranks (weekly amount)194.00200.00   Age allowances payable from age 65  40%-50%12.9513.35over 50% but not over 70%20.0020.60over 70% but not over 90%28.4029.30over 90%40.0041.20   Disablement gratuity (one-off payment)  specified minor injury (min.)1,236.001,274.00specified minor injury (max.)9,227.009,513.001 – 5% gratuity3,085.003,181.006 – 14% gratuity6,859.007,072.0015 – 19% gratuity11,997.0012,369.00   SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCES Unemployability allowance  Personal119.90123.60adult dependency increase66.6568.70increase for first child15.5016.00increase for subsequent children18.2018.75   Invalidity allowance  higher rate23.7024.45middle rate15.5016.00lower rate7.758.00   Constant attendance allowance  exceptional rate146.40151.00intermediate rate109.80113.25full day rate73.2075.50Part-day rate36.6037.75   Comforts allowance  higher rate31.5032.50lower rate15.7516.25   Mobility supplement69.8572.00   Allowance for lowered standard of occupation (maximum)73.1675.44   Therapeutic earnings limit (annual rate)7,436.007,904.00   Exceptionally severe disablement allowance73.2075.50   Severe disablement occupational allowance36.6037.75   Clothing allowance (£ per annum)250.00258.00   Education allowance (£ per annum) (max)120.00120.00   WIDOW(ER)S BENEFITS Widow(er)s' - other ranks (basic with children) (weekly amount)147.15151.70Widow(er) - Officer higher rate both wars (basic with children) (£ per annum)7,825.008,068.00Childless widow(er)s' u-40 (other ranks) (weekly amount)35.2536.34Widow(er) – Officer lower rate both wars (£ per annum)2,718.002,802.00   Supplementary Pension98.44101.49   Age allowance  (a) age 65 to 6916.8017.30(b) age 70 to 7932.2533.25(c) age 80 and over47.8549.35   Children's allowance  Increase for first child23.1023.80Increase for subsequent children25.7026.50   Orphan's pension  Increase for first child26.4527.25Increase for subsequent children28.9029.80   Unmarried dependant living as spouse (max)144.80149.35   Rent allowance (maximum)55.4057.10   Adult orphan's pension (maximum)113.10116.60

Ministry of Defence Votes A Supplementary Votes 2021-22

Mr Ben Wallace: The Ministry of Defence Votes A Supplementary Votes 2021-22, will be laid before the House on 10 February 2022 as HC 981. This outlines the increased maximum numbers of personnel to be maintained for Service in the Royal Naval Reserve Officers subject to Additional Duties Commitment (ADC) from 40 to 80 during Financial Year 2021-22. These numbers do not constitute the Strength of the Armed Forces, which is published separately in the UK Armed Forces Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics.

Ministry of Defence Votes A Annual Estimate 2022-23

Mr Ben Wallace: The Ministry of Defence Votes A Estimate 2022-23, will be laid before the House on 10 February 2022 as HC 980. This outlines the maximum numbers of personnel to be maintained for each Service in the Armed Forces during Financial Year 2022-23, including an increase for Royal Navy and Army Regulars and decreases for the Army Regular Reserve and Army Reserve. Full details can be found in the publication. These numbers do not constitute the Strength of the Armed Forces, which is published separately in the UK Armed Forces Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics.

Department of Health and Social Care

Health Update

Gillian Keegan: This week, the UK has marked Children’s Mental Health Week with the theme of ‘Growing Together’. I am grateful for the brilliant work of our vibrant voluntary and community sector, who are encouraging children and young people to take action to look after their mental health and learn how they can support others.Across the country, we’re talking more about our mental health and wellbeing than ever before. Thanks to the trailblazing courage of campaigners in the public eye, and thousands of quiet conversations in homes, schools and workplaces, more and more people now feel comfortable opening-up about their mental health.Over 4 million people have used our Every Mind Matters resources to make a tailored Mind Plan to help them take active steps to look after their wellbeing. Initiatives like ‘Thriving at Work’ have driven improvements to workplace wellbeing. The NHS is offering care and support to more people with mental illnesses than ever before, backed by record levels of investment, workforce expansion and the Advancing Mental Health Equalities Strategy. And we are reforming the Mental Health Act to improve care for people who are acutely unwell and address ethnic disparities in detention rates.Since March 2020, the wide-ranging effects of the pandemic and the impacts on mental health have fostered a strong spirit of innovation in the NHS and collaboration across government. The government published a cross-government COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan for 2021/22 in March 2021, backed by an additional £500million. As part of this additional investment, we are accelerating the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges so that an estimated 3 million children and young people (around 35% of pupils in England) will be covered by these teams by 2023.But I know there is much more to do. That is why I am announcing my intention to develop a new long term, cross-government Mental Health Strategy in the coming year.The government will launch a public discussion paper this spring to inform the development of the strategy. This will set us up for a wide-ranging and ambitious conversation about potential ways to improve the nation’s mental health and wellbeing over the coming decade, both within and beyond government and the NHS. We will be engaging widely, especially with people with experience of mental ill-health, to develop the strategy and build consensus. I will be calling on all parts of society – including teachers, businesses, voluntary organisations, and health and social care leaders – to set out their proposals for how we can shift the dial on mental health.Alongside this, preventing suicides is a key priority for this Government. I am acutely aware that suicide prevention requires specific, coordinated action and national focus, and I am committed to work with the sector over the coming year to review our 2012 Suicide Prevention Strategy for England. I am today announcing around an additional £1.5million to top-up our existing £4million grant fund, which will help support the suicide prevention voluntary and community sector to meet the needs of people at risk of suicide, or in crisis.